Episcopal Press and News
Waite Renews Call For Lebanon Hostage Dialogue
Episcopal News Service. August 21, 1986 [86181]
NEW YORK (DPS, Aug. 21) -- On his way back to London, Terry Waite, special envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, met with the press at the Episcopal Church Center, here, to reiterate -- "so that there can be no possible doubt in the minds of anyone -- either here in the U.S.A. or in the Arab world" -- that his motives in seeking release of hostages in Lebanon are humanitarian and religious.
Waite, who had accompanied recently released hostage Father Lawrence Jenco to Rome and Canterbury (Eds.: see DPS 86165), also indicated in his statement that he has received a letter from the Pope authorizing him "to make known certain of his feelings to the captors." He stressed the "very close accord in this whole matter between the Roman Catholics, the Anglican/Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church, and others" and added that "Hostage taking is often a cry from people who feel that they have no other voice. I would like the captors to know that we in the Church hear that cry. We believe that it is wrong to make the innocent suffer, but we recognize that many innocent people -- Christian, Islamic and Jewish -- suffer in the Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East today."
Welcoming the release of Jenco as "a compassionate act in the great tradition of Islam," Waite appealed to the captors to continue to allow the Christian Church to participate in the search for a solution to the situation in the Middle East. His statement concluded, "Some years ago, when I had discussions with Islamic leaders about Christian-Islamic cooperation, we mentioned three attributes of God on which both Christians and Muslims could agree: compassion, Justice and mercy. It is on that basis that I ask the captors, once again, to meet with me and let us find a solution with honour and dignity."
Following the statement, Waite answered questions from the press. In response to queries on his call for talks, he said that it is difficult to communicate with the captors through the media, and "What really I'm appealing for is resumption of dialogue." He added that while he was not then planning another trip to the Lebanon, that he stood ready to leave at any moment. He also indicated that although his primary concern has been, due to circumstances, the American hostages, he would like to be able to move on other hostages as well.